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US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, who is expected in Israel next week, is also expected to give a speech in Bahrain, which is emerging as a leading candidate to make some kind of gesture toward Israel to move the diplomatic process forward.
Israeli officials said that while any gesture or step from Bahrain would obviously be welcomed, the country did not have a leading role in the Arab world, and it was unlikely it would lead the way for other countries - such as Saudi Arabia - to take steps toward normalization with Israel.
Bahrain may be first to make gestures toward Israel
Seeded on Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:32 PM EDT
Article Source: JPost.com- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (4)
In the Washington Post op-ed on Friday, the Bahraini crown prince wrote that the Arab world had "not done enough to communicate directly with the people of Israel. An Israeli might be forgiven for thinking that every Muslim voice is raised in hatred, because that is usually the only one he hears. Just as an Arab might be forgiven for thinking every Israeli wants the destruction of every Palestinian."
Essentially, he wrote, the Arab world has not done a good enough job demonstrating to Israelis how the Arab Peace initiative launched by Saudi Arabia in 2002 "can form part of a peace between equals in a troubled land holy to three great faiths. Others have been less reticent, recognizing that our success would threaten their vested interest in keeping Palestinians and Israelis at each other's throats. They want victims to stay victims so they can be manipulated as proxies in a wider game for power. The rest of us - the overwhelming majority - have the opposite interest."
Sounds very reasonable.
- 4 votes
#1 - Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:36 PM EDTOthers have been less reticent, recognizing that our success would threaten their vested interest in keeping Palestinians and Israelis at each other's throats. They want victims to stay victims so they can be manipulated as proxies in a wider game for power. The rest of us - the overwhelming majority - have the opposite interest.
One of the finest and most complete analysis of the situation in the Middle East that I have ever read.
- 4 votes
Bravo Prince. It takes a lot of courage to speak the truth when it goes against the grain.
- 2 votes
#2 - Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:54 AM EDTI was not able to get into the article as the website is overloaded right now, but just reading the summary and the first two comments taken from the article is enough for me to say that this is a positive step in the right direction. The point about others profiting from Israelis and Palestinians staying in conflict is a huge factor in creating peace in the Middle East. Unfortunately that will probably be harder to overcome.
- 2 votes
#3 - Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:28 PM EDTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
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